


My Gift To You

by ShikiKyuu



Series: Seeing The Future Together [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:38:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4055233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShikiKyuu/pseuds/ShikiKyuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin is still kidnapped and Kakashi still loses an eye, but Obito awakens his Mangekyō Sharingan before he can sacrifice his life for Kakashi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> While the series will be ObiKaka (Obito/Kakashi), the first few stories will be categorized under Gen because this is only the beginning, and it will be a while before there can be any romantic feelings between them.
> 
> Also, I like Rin. She was such a good friend to Obito and I can understand why Obito broke when she died. Rin was the only person to validate Obito's dreams, and without her, Obito felt like life had lost all meaning. So while the series is ObiKaka, Rin will have her screen time. She deserves it.
> 
> This series was inspired by a picture on Zerochan, id number 1582777.

Rocks of various sizes were collapsing all around Obito and his teammates. He managed to dodge the masses by centimeters with his Sharingan flaring a deep red, galvanizing his body to max power. With Rin and Kakashi by his side, he was confident in their abilities to escape the avalanche and continue their mission. Rin was safe and Kakashi had become the leader Obito knew he could be, protecting his team and no longer focused on the rules and regulations that would have ultimately ended in Rin's death.

He imagined a life back in Konoha where his team fought on equal footing than besting each other. He and Kakashi would have a civil relationship without the spiteful insults, even daring to envision them as friends. Rin would be her usual self, dividing attention between her best friend and her crush, seizing their hands and dragging them to Ichiraku’s, Kushina and Minato there to greet them, the former scarfing down her twentieth bowl of shio ramen

Obito craved for the peace within that dream, and it was almost within his grasp.

Until he heard Kakashi cry out.

His heart nearly stopped as he turned to see Kakashi face down on the ground. By the time Rin shrieked the Jōnin's name, Obito was already running towards him. Glancing up, he realized a colossal boulder was above his downed teammate in a position to crush his whole body.

His surroundings blurred and decelerated when he approached Kakashi, and as he launched his body forward, he foresaw a pool of red beneath the rock and Rin bawling with grief, his own cries cursing his failures. They would return to Konoha with one less teammate and guilt pressing down on their shoulders, indescribable pain twisting Minato’s face for not being there to save his first student.

A distressed shout scratched his throat, hand reaching out in desperation. He had to protect Kakashi. Losing him, or Rin, was unacceptable- unbearable- inconceivable. Living without either of them- _it could not happen_.

_Almost there- Kakashi!_

Suddenly, time reverted to its natural state. Rin's scream faded to an echo and the boulder was inches away from crushing them. He picked Kakashi up, wrapping his arms around the smaller form and pleading. There was no time- _I have to_ _save him!_

The two tomoe of his Sharingan rotated twice, and in that split second when he was about to hurl Kakashi to the side, three tomoe formed and spun into a black molten mix, shaping into a unique pinwheel.

The last thing he heard before blacking out was a deafening bang.

 

* * *

 

Kakashi gradually regained consciousness, groaning from the dull ache originating from the back of his head. When he attempted to touch the pained area, his arm remained still. He opened his eyes, or at least tried. His left eye refused to cooperate, staying shut while his right eye lifted half way. Just as he was about to try moving again, memories of the last few hours jolted him into complete awareness.

He remembered Rin's kidnapping, the physical and vocal fight with Obito, his lost eye and retrieving Rin.

The cave in...

He jerked, his right eye widening. He looked around as best he could, only to be faced with a familiar orange and blue jacket, arms firmly clinging to him. Bending his head back, he could see Obito was unconscious, yet somewhat aware of Kakashi since his grip had yet to slacken. When he struggled by pushing against Obito's chest, the arms encasing him squeezed his body.

He scowled at Obito’s lax expression, and patience running thin, he used what little spare chakra he had left to send an electric shock through Obito's body. The taller boy instantly released him and rolled over, cursing Kakashi as he rubbed his arms to rid himself of the aftershocks, which caused his curled form to twitch unpleasantly.

Obito heaved to his knees, mumbling in irritation. “Bakashi, you could have just shaken me awake, you know.”

He ignored the Uchiha, unable to redirect his gaze from the bizarre location they now found themselves in. The sky was pitch black, not a star in sight, and the only available light illuminated from limitless rectangular prisms resembling giant pillars. Some columns had cracks of differing widths and others were split in half. He and Obito were situated on an unbroken prism. When his hands brushed against the surface, it rivaled the warmth of a heated tea cup. He stood and moved to the ledge, stooping down to see nothing but a cloudy void most likely leading to an endless descent.

“Genjutsu, perhaps?” he murmured.

“I doubt it. We were being ambushed by rocks, remember?”

Kakashi frowned, sighing as he exchanged looks with Obito, only to flinch back and gasp. His teammate followed the response with a confused glare, and as he continued gawking, Obito brought his hands to his face. “What? Is there something on my face?”

“Your Sharingan-” he paused, unsure of how to address the change in the Uchiha’s dōjutsu. He had seen many Sharingan, all with one, two or three tomoe, but Obito's lacked any. Rather, it had the shape of a pinwheel, black swirl lines connecting the ends of each triangle into a circle. He had never seen one like this. It was really a pretty pattern, actually.

Kakashi described the design as best he could, taking in the other boy’s look of shock and… dread, or something like it.

Obito began wandering the limited space, passing Kakashi who whipped around to watch him peer down into the abyss. “I thought they were stories, but I guess not,” he mumbled, subdued, then covered his eyes with shaking palms. His tense shoulders were trembling and he folded into himself, dropping to his knees.

Kakashi followed him down, grasping one of his arms and wrenching it away to speak without a barrier separating them. Obito’s eyes were obsidian again, glossed over with unshed tears, from stress or anxiety, he wasn’t quite sure.

He waited in silence, assuming Obito would eventually calm down and elaborate.

With a couple of deep breathes, Obito looped his fingers together and gazed across the landscape. “The Sharingan is a dōjutsu that awakens when we are under a lot of emotional stress. When the Iwa-nin injured you, all I could think about was protecting you from getting hurt again.”

Kakashi unconsciously touched his bandaged eye, reliving the moment he had decided to abort the mission and save his teammates as his father before him. Obito’s accusation of being worse than scum had cut into him severely, and though he tried to disregard the mounting guilt, in the end, he returned and fought alongside Obito against the enemy.

Losing an eye did not compare to the potential loss of Obito or Rin, he had no doubts about that.

“My clan has passed down tales of an advanced form of the Sharingan, awakened by seeing the death of someone very close to you. It’s called the Mangekyō Sharingan. It always resembles a pinwheel, but the design depends on the individual. Those who thought it existed believed Uchiha Madara was the first to activate it.”

Obito wilted before him. He appeared both physically and emotionally exhausted, his body hunched, dark shadows beneath his eyes now gleaming an eerie, blood red. A disturbing sight on Obito’s normally caring features, Kakashi thought, withholding a flinch as Obito looked at him, offering a dismal smile.

“I was excited to finally have my Sharingan, but considering the circumstances, it feels more like a curse.”

There was nothing comforting he could say without sounding ignorant. So he merely patted Obito’s shoulder and stood, helping the other boy to his feet. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing. “What happened exactly, after I was knocked unconscious?”

“I am not too sure, but I think it may have something to do with my eyes,” Obito answered, drying his unshed tears with a sleeve. He then glared at him. “Bakashi, do you realize how terrified I was back there?” he shakily demanded.

Kakashi resisted shying from Obito’s ire, even as his voice cracked on the word “terrified.”

“We were finally working as a team. Rin was free and you and I were fighting together against the enemy and everything was going perfect,” he rambled, louder and more forceful with each breath. “And then you got hit by a stupid rock, and all I saw was a big ass boulder falling towards you about to crush you and I just had to save you. I didn't care about anything else but getting you out of the way, even if it meant getting crushed myself because you are _so_ _much stronger_ than I am and Rin, Kushina-nee, and Minato-sensei would have been so _devastated_ if you had died and I would have been too because this team would be nothing without you-”

Kakashi never expected him to care whether he lived or died, but knowing Obito wanted to save him- he was overjoyed. He had tried his best to shun everyone around him, to not get attached, but he had been lying to himself and denying the fact his team was the most important thing in his life.

But like always, the damn Uchiha pissed him off as well.

He interrupted Obito's ranting, punching him hard enough to hit the ground. He straddled Obito's waist, seizing him by the collar of his jacket and yelling louder than ever, enraged. “How _dare you_ say that, Obito! You really think I would have been any better watching you dying under a rock, knowing I failed as a teammate, a leader and a Jōnin?!”

He pulled their faces closer together, glaring with a teary eye. “You really think Rin would rather have _me_ than _you_ alive, her best friend and confidante? Or that Kushina-san and Minato-sensei would be any less devastated if they lost you? Do you really believe _I_ am the one who holds this team together, who was ready to sacrifice Rin for our mission? Are you really that _stupid_ , Obito?!”

His face was wet with tears as he wailed, thinking of Obito and his father, the courage and devotion they had to forsake shinobi regulations for their comrades. Hatake Sakumo had been right, not the village quick to condemn him for his humanity. His father was not a tool, but a man with emotions fighting to protect his home and his son. Not a disgrace, but someone who did what he knew was right.

Obito taught him that.

Obito was- he was-

“ _You_ are the one who completes our team. _You_ are the one making Rin laugh and Minato-sensei smile. _You_ are the one stopping me from isolating myself from them. _You_ , Obito, are the only one bringing life into our team. _We_ would be nothing without _you_! Why can't you see your own self-worth? Because everyone says you're a failure? That you can't amount to anything? Well they're wrong! _I_ was wrong! You... don't you dare put yourself down again! Never again, Obito!”

Kakashi choked down a sob, releasing Obito’s collar to lay his forehead against the broader chest, the remainder of his strength gone. He was so tired, chakra drained and body weakened, and the overflow of tears had left his eye aching.

As Obito draped his arms around him, he eased into the secure hold.

 

* * *

 

Obito stared unseeing at the bare sky, dazed by Kakashi's admission, someone whose hair he had to wrench just to receive some form of acknowledgment.

He had known Kakashi since they were children, and in those six years, he had respected him, and envied him even more. Obito was no genius. He had trained days and nights with little reprieve to reach his current level, and it seemed, no matter how much he worked, he was still so far behind.

Kakashi though, he _was_ a genius. He didn't train less diligently than most skilled shinobi, but he accomplished what Obito could not in a mere day. The Jōnin had a right to be arrogant because he had the skills to back it up. He deserved the praise from their generation and sensei.

But here in this soundless realm of near darkness, Kakashi discarded his emotional barriers to assure Obito’s role as an essential key to their team. Kakashi rebuked his self-deprecation, emphasizing his worth as a shinobi and teammate. His chest ached from the appreciation welling up within him, but even more so, from his comrade’s agonized tears _he_ had caused. His attempted sacrifice had shattered Kakashi, and he wished he never confessed to nearly getting himself killed.

Obito held him against his chest, as a silent thank you, and as an apology.

“I blacked out,” he eventually said, “after I picked you up. That was probably when we got... here...” and then he realized an important issue.

“Where is Rin!?”

Kakashi rolled off and arose, his sluggish figure betraying how fatigued he was. With his sole eye, he looked around the area to only see similar shaped prisms spanning over miles. His stomach twisted unpleasantly as he thought of his other teammate – caring Rin always so determined to mend her team – still fighting Iwa-nin, or perhaps even dead.

Obito searched as well with the stage three Sharingan, having stood as Kakashi did. There were no other bodies in sight and so, he decided to do the next best thing.

He shouted, “Rin!”

His present teammate followed with an “Are you here!” as loud as he could, wincing from the effort.

They paused and waited for a good minute. Then a faint, disjointed feminine echo sounded back. The two boys exchanged relieved expressions, Kakashi's eye shining suspiciously and Obito grinning too wide to be comfortable.

His grin dwindled. “That had to be Rin, but how the hell do we find her?”

Kakashi messaged his temples as he asked another question. “How sure are you that your Sharingan is what brought us here?”

“Um, fairly confident.” Obito could think of nothing else but a Genjutsu, which seemed highly unlikely considering their situation back at Kannabi Bridge. “Why?”

“If it really brought us here, you should be able to manipulate the area to bring Rin to us or us to her. Try it.”

Rin at the forefront of his mind, Obito activated the highest form of his dōjutsu and forced Kakashi's hands into his. His teammate tried snatching his hands back and failed.

Before Kakashi could vocally protest, he sighed. “If this works, the last thing I need is to be separated from you too, Bakashi.”

They glared at each other until another echo was heard. Kakashi sighed and bowed his head, surrendering. There was no time to be stubborn or embarrassed. They needed to retrieve Rin before she began wandering on her own.

He tangled their fingers and closed his eyes, picturing Rin standing on another rectangular prism, covered in dust from the cave in. He sharply inhaled and opened his eyes, meeting Kakashi’s wide eye.

The first thing he noticed as his Sharingan deactivated was the boy's shocked look, his pupil contracted from surprise. The second was Rin's earsplitting yell which abruptly cut off. The third was Kakashi's awestricken voice.

“That was amazing, Obito! Everything around us just morphed like a whirlpool.”

A flattered smile spread across his face, his cheeks heating from the Jōnin's praise. He wondered if Kakashi offering compliments rather than insults would ever become an ordinary occurrence, maybe then this constant diffidence would fade away. He released his hold on Kakashi's hands and scratched his cheek. “So we really are inside the Sharingan, but how do we get out?”

Rin leaped toward them, landing on ten pillars before reaching their own. Just as he imagined, she was coated in a fine layer of dust and smiling. A few tears escaped as she pulled them into a desperate embrace. Obito thought it was a pleasant feeling... until she took another second to hit both him and Kakashi over the head.

They grabbed their throbbing skulls and groaned.

“Don't you two _ever_ do that to me again! Do you understand!?” She glared at him specifically. “And if you dare treat your life like it's nothing _ever again_ , I will personally eviscerate you.”

They nodded in response, Obito dropping his head to veil the shame.

It seemed Rin knew he had almost thrown Kakashi out of the way, sacrificing his own life. Her glare exposed the anger and worry for his life, and causing that sort of pain on his best friend was unforgivable. Part of him still thought the team to be better as a two-man cell, that it would flourish without his lateness and boisterous personality despite Kakashi's previous reassurance. However, Rin’s distress forced him to acknowledge his insecurities were foolish.

He gathered his courage and faced Rin with utmost sincerity in his eyes. “I'm sorry, Rin.”

Rin's hard exterior diminished. She sighed, relieved. “I'm just glad you're both alright. Now, what did you mean about the Sharingan?”

They exchanged glances, Kakashi motioning him forward.

“We're inside my Sharingan.” Obito didn’t have to think before his advanced dōjutsu activated again, the change becoming easier with each use.

Her eyes widened, gasping. “But that's not-”

Kakashi interjected, “It's the Mangekyō Sharingan, apparently brought on by seeing the death of someone precious.”

“But no one died,” she challenged.

Obito nodded in agreement and added, “Yeah, but that's all I really know about it. Besides, it doesn't matter how I got it. We have to get out of here and complete the mission.”

Rin sealed her lips together to avoid asking questions. Obito was right.

Intending to interrogate him later, she suggested, “Just do whatever you did to find me.”

“But that was just altering the layout,” Obito objected. “I have to get us out of... here and into... uh.”

“Wait!” After listening to Obito’s stumbling, Kakashi suddenly had an idea.

It should have been obvious, especially to someone like him. There was one technique that reminded Kakashi of this – going from one place to another in an instant – utilized by the man who taught them since their team’s formation, who had been a mentor to Kakashi for even longer.

Two pairs of eyes turned to him when he continued, “Minato-sensei. This may be similar to the Hiraishin.”

Rin followed the thought, hitting a fist against her hand. “You're right, Kakashi! The Mangekyō Sharingan _is_ like sensei's technique, only Obito goes to a different dimension altogether rather than passing through a dimensional void.”

The puzzled Uchiha interrupted their excitement. “Okay, what are you guys talking about?”

Kakashi answered without insulting him ( _which seemed to be his customary reaction now_ ). “The Hiraishin technique is a space-time Ninjutsu. Minato-sensei gave us a basic explanation when we were first assigned under his command. He described it as entering a dimensional void that instantaneously transports him to a different location.”

“Ah, I remember now.” Obito covered an eye with his palm. “So my Sharingan transported us to an entirely different dimension, unlike sensei who passes through an empty dimension and then back into ours.”

Rin nodded. “I believe so.”

He dropped his arm and sighed. “So picture where I want to go, hold onto you both, and then teleport.” Obito deliberated aloud, “Since I wasn't holding Rin at the time and she's currently here, then I guess there's no need to keep contact, but I also don't know what I'm doing, so maybe it's better to stay together until I perfect this space-time travel.”

“You're right about sticking together,” Rin agreed. “As for me being here, maybe it's because your subconscious didn't want to leave me behind with the enemy. Your dōjutsu's ability could rely on willpower alone, and your chakra, of course.”

Obito stretched out his limbs as he mulled over her speculation. When that boulder was about to crush Kakashi, all he thought about was protecting them, even at the cost of his own life.

He considered Rin and Kakashi, along with Minato and Kushina, to be more his family than the Uchiha clan. He was the black sheep, a Chūnin without the Sharingan, an orphan of civilian decent, a pathetic excuse of an Uchiha for being kind, generous and outgoing, and forced to reside in a home far from the main district. His affections, his loyalties- they resided with Team Minato only.

So yes, perhaps the Mangekyō Sharingan awakened because of that bond, an ingrained desire to protect those precious to him. No one died today, but he or Kakashi _would have_. Self-preservation, friendship, or familial love: either way, the Sharingan had saved his true family.

For that, he was grateful.

With a frolicsome grin, Obito grasped his teammates' hands who grabbed each other's, forming a circle. He coughed twice and yelled, “Transportation activation!”

Nothing happened.

Rin and Kakashi rolled their eyes at the same time, the latter shaking his head and sighing.

“Really, Obito?” she huffed.

Kakashi drawled, “Remind me to forbid you from naming any techniques you may create in the future.”

“Oh yeah?” Obito puffed out his cheeks. “Then how about _you_ name whatever this is.”

“Fine, I will.” Kakashi closed his eye and contemplated. He eventually decided on, “Kamui.”

Rin laughed. “A name relating to the gods? Isn't that a bit much?”

“Well, the Uchiha clan has quite a few shrines back in the compound, right, Obito?”

“That's right. I don't bother with them, but the older generations visit the shrines every day.” He jiggled Kakashi's hand. “Kamui it is then.”

This time he put in real effort, visualizing the forest where Kakashi had lost his eye. Trees were in full bloom, meaning a better place to shroud themselves from any potential enemies. From the viewpoint of his teammates, Obito's pinwheel eyes spun. There was an odd tingling in his stomach, spreading as the area around them began to swirl and mix into pitch black. Then all he saw was blue.

Rin and Kakashi marveled as the scenery changed into familiar azure, clouded skies. Then they realized there was nothing else, just when the swirling patterns disappeared. Obito looked down and back up with a guilty grimace.

“Oh shit.”

With startled screams, the trio began to plummet to the intended destination. Obito tightened his grip on their hands and chanted in a panic, “In the forest not above, in the forest not above, in the forest not above...!”

“Damn it, Obito!” Kakashi's legs were comically waving back and forth, single eye flared with fury.

Rin screamed at him, “Don't curse at him! He's still learning!”

“In the forest not above, in the forest not above, please...! Kamui!”

His Mangekyō Sharingan flashed, and instead of colliding with the surrounding trees, Team Minato phased right through leaves and sharp branches. They lost their grips on Obito's hands and hit the ground softer than expected, watching in disbelief as Obito’s bottom half disappeared into the ground. They swiftly captured his arms and heaved until his entire body was lying on the ground between them.

On their backs and gasping for air, Team Minato gawked up at the light piercing through green leaves.

Obito, always one for breaking silence, commented, “Intangibility. What can I not do these days?”

“Transport us to a safe environment,” Kakashi dryly replied.

Rin groaned, “Oh, don't even start, boys.”

 

 


	2. Aftermath

Team Minato arrived at the cave-in site, concealing their chakra from any nearby Iwa-nins, a simple feat when two members were drained and the third had precise chakra control. Not that the boys on Rin's team would admit to their shared weakness. Kakashi was far too prideful and Obito hated worrying her – he never seemed to understand hiding chakra exhaustion or his injuries concerned her more than anything else.

As much as she wanted to complete the mission, her boys were at their limit and moving forward would be suicide.

To her surprise, Kakashi stopped them from scouting the area. He was staring aghast at the collapsed boulders, unable to turn from the spot where he or Obito would have been crushed, had Obito's dōjutsu not evolved at the most opportune moment.

Rin understood the fear. Her team was her second family, and should either Obito or Kakashi pass, she knew her mental state would fragment into thousands of shards unable to be pieced back together.

“We are postponing the mission until sensei returns,” Kakashi quietly declared.

Obito was first to respond, incredulous. “You can’t be serious. Have you forgotten your future as a Jōnin rides on our success?”

She added, “He is right, Kakashi. And, this is also your first mission as team captain.”

Their temporary leader faced them, eye downturned with guilt and his hands clenched in fists, paling from the pressure. “I really messed up today, Obito. I may have helped save Rin, but before that, I was ready to abandon her for the mission.”

He reluctantly looked at Rin, who had patted his shoulder with a forgiving smile.

He nodded as thanks before explaining, “Seven years ago, my father also saved his teammates, but in doing so, he failed his mission. There was a terrible backlash. My father was despised and shunned for his actions, and even his own teammates, the ones he risked his life to protect called him a disgrace. It was too much for him and I… I found him in his room. He had killed himself.”

Rin tried to maintain her soothing smile, but learning this, tears budded at the corner of her eyes. How awful it must have been, seeing the person you love most in that condition. Even if she _had_ felt resentment for Kakashi’s abandonment, the emotion would have vanished right then and there. It was no longer a mystery why her comrade drastically changed years ago.

She glanced at Obito, expecting a similar reaction, except, her best friend didn’t look surprised at all. So he already knew…

“Rin,” Kakashi said in her direction, resolved, “I promise to _never_ abandon you again, because you were right, Obito,” he acknowledged, looking to the Uchiha. “My father was an honorable man with a caring heart, and he didn’t deserve the treatment he got. Those who abandon their teammates are worse than scum, and continuing a suicidal mission would be even worse. That is why our mission is postponed.”

Obito was in a bit of shock.

Less than twenty-four hours, and Kakashi had overcome his emotional restraints. He wasn’t complaining, but he still wondered if he was dreaming, or hallucinating, perhaps a consequence of his new set of eyes.

Reflecting on his change reminded Obito of a memory when Kakashi still annoyed him, their only interaction with the legendary Sanin.

Minato had introduced them, and immediately, Rin bombarded Tsunade with questions about Iryō Ninjutsu, her hazel eyes alight with greed for knowledge as she spoke with her inspiration. Kakashi stayed beside their sensei, listening to Jiraiya accounting past missions with an embellishing flair.

He, however, sat by Orochimaru. The pale-skinned man had exuded power and charisma that attracted Obito like honeybees to a flower. He was quiet – offered only a basic greeting – and introspective, contemplating matters beyond Obito’s comprehension. And for once, he enjoyed the peaceful silence. There was neither pressure to being near an illustrious shinobi, nor yearning to interrogate the man about his experiences and special techniques. It seemed Orochimaru's silence was teaching him more than words.

Surprisingly, Orochimaru was the first to speak.

He had inquired about his team, questioning Obito’s relationship with each member. He listed everything he liked about Rin and his sensei, but when thinking about Kakashi, nothing kind came to mind. The boy was stoic and a pedant. He scoffed at teamwork, evident during their survival test when he used Obito and Rin as distractions to steal the bells, never bothering to share or discuss a plan. He was too critical and insulted Obito whenever he had the chance. He was infuriating and inconsiderate.

Orochimaru had hissed out a chuckle when Obito crossed his arms, a scowl adorning his scrunched face. When he glanced back at the Sannin, he was surprised by Orochimaru's heart-aching smile as he looked toward the sky. The man responded to his rant with a single statement before departing with Jiraiya and Tsunade.

“It is human nature not to realize the true value of something unless they lose it.”

At the time, Obito didn't understand.

He learned, months later, Orochimaru's parents had died during his youth. Their passing affected the man greatly, and he considered whether orphans as babies were more fortunate than their older counterparts. Obito’s memories of his parents were reduced to a picture and retellings by other Uchiha, too young to remember the warmth of parental love, while the serpent summoner had nothing _but_ a collection of memories.

 _What is there to mourn without memories_ _?_ he wondered.

His loss was no less meaningful than Orochimaru's, but perhaps the man's pain was greater.

Without his mother and father to nurture him, he developed an identity based on his own experiences. Subject to the strict teachings of his clan and watching others near his age become aloof and arrogant, Obito had realized, if he submitted to the expectations of his blood family, he would be isolated from the outside as well. He rebelled, then, maintaining his compassion and helpful nature, separating him from the clan without the praise or deprecation of his parents.

Orochimaru, though, the moment his parents passed, he was forced to reevaluate his entire life. His mother and father were no doubt a source of motivation for success and betterment, encouraged his passions or expressed disappointment for his mistakes, but still possessing so much love. And suddenly, he was alone, no one to greet and embrace him in the mornings, to explain how everything would be alright during times of adversity, or to congratulate him for his accomplishments.

Obito would never profess to knowing Orochimaru personally, but he knew his youngest teammate, had seen the effects on one’s psyche with the death of a parent, had watched Kakashi be reshaped into a cold, rule-abiding shinobi following his father’s death, though Obito had been ignorant of the cause back then.

Kakashi and Orochimaru had lost their parents and were left emotionally scarred.

But Obito, he would never have that experience, the emotional scars, nor the drastic personality change.

When parents embrace their children, he wondered what it was like to have a family. Orochimaru and Kakashi, they mourned what they had lost.

_It's human nature not to realize the true value of something unless they lose it._

Unlike Orochimaru’s parents, however, Kakashi's father committed seppuku. Sakumo was deemed a disgrace to the village and Kakashi collapsed under the weight of that unwarranted shame, rejecting all his father was and did. Today, though, the Jōnin came back and helped save Rin despite their mission, and now he looked lighter and free without the shadows clinging to his father’s memory.

Orochimaru was right.

Kakashi may have been infuriating and inconsiderate, but losing him then or now – as a pedant teammate or as a dear friend – he would have been devastated and regretful. Kakashi felt no different, which he had made clear inside the Kamui dimension.

A hand waved across his eyes. He blinked and flinched away, finally noticing Rin and Kakashi were inches from his face.

Rin frowned. “Is something wrong?”

Obito scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, I was just thinking.” He glowered as Kakashi's eye began to gleam with amusement. “And if you say anything about smoke above my head, I will punch you, Bakashi.”

Just as Kakashi was about to counter the threat, the abrupt sound of collapsing rock was heard. On instinct, the masked shinobi threw his sensei's three-pronged kunai behind them.

When Team Minato faced the cave-in sight, Kakashi eased.

The kunai had stabbed one of the rocks, beside a paralyzed green, long-tailed lizard. It swiftly crawled away as Obito burst into laughter, covering his mouth to quiet his glee. They had all been so serious and freaked, just by a simple reptile. How ridiculous...

Rin and Kakashi smacked him over the head simultaneously, the former scolding him. “Honestly, Obito. It really could have been one of those Iwa-nin. If you keep laughing, they might come back.”

Obito nodded with a sheepish smile, rubbing the abused area. “Sorry, sorry.”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, was a yellow flash.

Obito stared gobsmacked at his sensei who stood behind his other teammates, bent in a defensive position with one of his special kunai in hand. His severe expression withered as he spotted Obito's unflattering gape and a distinct lack of enemy ninja.

Kakashi whipped around to see what had silenced the other boy, Rin following a moment later. They stepped back at the sight of Minato and blurted out with shock, “Sensei!”

Minato smiled. “Hey, you guys. You alright?”

The first to react was Rin, throwing her arms around his waist and crying. The blond tensed before returning the hug, patting her back as she sobbed. Obito joined them, setting a hand on Rin's shoulder and leaning his head against Minato's arm, his countenance smooth and calm, belying the tremble wracking his body.

Although two of his students were already clinging to him, he was still stunned when Kakashi leaned against his other side, bandaged face burrowing into his sleeve. Minato removed his hold on Rin and repositioned his arms so he was embracing his whole team, all three hiding their faces in his clothes.

They remained huddled together for a long while.

 

* * *

 

_Agony... and then... numbness._

“ _If only...”_

_Shouting..._

“ _-never would've happened!”_

_I'm sorry... but I can still..._

“ _-Sharingan.”_

_...give a part of myself..._

“ _-a great Jōnin.”_

_...to you..._

Crippling pain assailed his temples, waking Obito from his unrestful sleep. He lifted his body into a sitting position with palms pressing against his closed eyelids. Tears dribbled down his cheeks, but when he tried brushing them away, the liquid smeared uncomfortably. He struggled to open his aching eyes to glimpse at his hands, not to see remnants of water, but rather the unmistakable crimson color of fresh blood.

Panic welled inside his stomach before he forced himself to relax. He peeked at his teammates, both cuddled into their blankets. They were dead to the waking world, faces lax and exhausted from the stressful day. Had the burning in his eyes disappeared this very moment, he would have collapsed back to unconsciousness as well.

Instead, the pain intensified. He crawled over to Rin's medical pack and searched for gauze. When he found the package, he ripped the box open and wrapped the cotton around his hands, pressing them against his bleeding eyes and waited for the flow to stop. He heard the soft patter of sandaled feet, recognizing his sensei's near-silent footfalls that calmed his frantic heartbeat.

A hand settled on his head. “Has this happened before, Obito?”

He nodded in the negative, only to groan from the nauseous feeling of vertigo. His sensei pulled away for a few minutes and returned, seizing his wrists. The stained gauze was replaced by a wet cloth that cooled the burning sensation. He kept the offered material against his eyes as Minato gently cleaned his blood-smeared cheeks, asking, “Think it has something to do with your Sharingan?”

Obito shrugged, uncertain.

It had been nearly ten hours since reuniting with their sensei.

Kakashi had managed to keep his composure for an oral mission report, and Minato reacted indifferent throughout, eventually smiling when Kakashi admitted to flinging the kunai at a defenseless lizard. He then looked at them individually for nearly five minutes. Obito could easily distinguish the fear within those enigmatic blues, and if _he_ noticed, then their sensei must have been beyond terrified at the thought of losing them.

He flashed away afterwards, choosing to complete the mission on his own.

The Iwa shinobi were wiped out and Kannabi Bridge was destroyed, Minato returning unscathed and as cheerful as ever. He gathered them up and Hiraishin-ed the team back to where Obito had first learned of Hatake Sakumo.

When he had seen the grassy field and scattered rocks, a sense of euphoria rushed through his weakened body, for reality had finally crashed down on his head. The nightmarish day was over, and now he could anticipate a calming journey back home.

Rin and Kakashi were the first to lose themselves to sleep, leaving him and Minato to discuss his Sharingan’s evolution and its abilities. His lack of information emphasized how much Obito didn’t know about his own clan’s treasured kekkei genkai.

He wondered, if the Mangekyō was real, then why was it treated like a children’s story?

Obito grew up with those grand tales, of a hero, an Uchiha paragon, wielding unlimited power with vengeance in mind for the adversary who wronged them. A spinning pinwheel rousing undying flames of turbulent black. The legendary Mangekyō Sharingan, the tragic product of an Uchiha’s lost love. Such tales were depressing but uplifting, and completely unbelievable, until recently.

Before falling asleep, he had considered, maybe the Mangekyō’s existence was a coveted secret among the older generations, due to the trigger being prompted by horrific circumstances. The death of someone precious in exchange for unmatched power- the thought chilled the blood running through his body.

He wouldn’t know anything for sure, though, until he returned to Konoha.

Obito pulled the sullied cloth back and touched the corner of an eye, relieved when his fingers remained dry and clean. His gaze strayed towards his sensei who had leaped back onto the rock, taking in the man's serene smile, and then moved his stare to the slumbering Kakashi. He bit his lip while looking at the Jōnin's bandages, recalling the nightmare he had before the burning sensation attacked his eyes.

He barely remembered even half the dream, but some of it – Kakashi's guilty screaming, offering his Sharingan – those images were most prominent.

And he knew, then, what he wanted to do.

 

* * *

 

Kakashi awakened to the sound of twittering birds, singing recycled melodies as sunlight began to peek in the horizon, painting the skies a vicious collage of orange, red and pink. His lone eye glared at every bird he could see while sitting up. He threw his blanket to the side and stood on wobbly feet, stretching his arms and glancing at his sensei and Rin who slept on. The latter was curled into a ball under her own blanket.

Obito was nowhere near their resting site.

He turned the other way toward the trees, eventually locating Obito standing beneath the largest tree where sunlight had yet to reach, looking up as he turned in circles. Curious, Kakashi grabbed his blanket, tossed it over Rin's unconscious form, and walked over to Obito. The Chūnin seemed to overlook his entrance. He continued circling the area with Sharingan eyes that never drifted from the sight of dawn, radiating light through blooming branches.

Kakashi was reluctant to interrupt his visual exploration, but the annoying weight of concern was too much to ignore. “Are you alright, Obito?”

The Uchiha gradually faced him, red eyes fading to black. “Oh, hey Kakashi... yeah, I'm fine.” His normally optimistic tone was subdued, considering, but of what, he could only guess. Obito resumed his sky-gazing, a cool breeze of wind arriving with clusters of clouds and deep blues.

Five minutes of silence, then, “You know... I never gave you a gift for becoming Jōnin, did I?”

The question was so unexpected, he recoiled. He avoided Obito's sudden attention. “No, but I… don’t really deserve a gift. Not with how I lead our team yesterday.”

“Look, Kakashi,” his grey irises met obsidian, “what you did yesterday... you couldn't be any more deserving, especially from me.” Obito was smiling with a wide, kindhearted grin, one Kakashi had only seen directed at Rin.

He disagreed, “I didn't do anythi-”

“You're wrong. You did more for me than you could ever realize.” Obito stepped forward so they were a mere foot away. “And that's why I want to give you something _extremely_ important to me.”

Anxiety erupted in the pit of his stomach, heartbeat in his throat.

Obito was no longer grinning, his lips downturned with unwavering purpose. “It saved me, you, and Rin yesterday. I called it a curse, but honestly, it kept our team in one piece, and it brought you and me closer than I ever thought possible.” He paused before admitting, “Without my desire to protect you, it never would have awakened… so, I want you to have it.”

His anxiety increased tenfold as realization set in. “Obito... you can't mean-”

“I want you to have my Sharingan,” was warmly declared. “This part of me… is my gift to you.”

Kakashi floundered. “Bu-But, I can't.”

Something like this was almost too much to handle. No one outside the Uchiha clan had ever gotten possession of such a powerful dōjutsu. The Sharingan was the most protected kekkei genkai in Konoha, surpassing even the Byakugan despite lacking curse seals, which the Hyūga branch house was branded with.

And besides, “You'd only have one eye left.”

 “So will you, Kakashi,” Obito countered his sole argument. “You’ll need to keep the Sharingan covered whenever you're not using it.”

Kakashi’s protests quieted at that, calm acceptance beginning to settle his nerves. He knew, if nothing else about Uchiha Obito, that he was impossibly stubborn.

“The Sharingan drains chakra, but it has no bearing on my clan unless active for an extended time.” Obito poked him in the forehead, briefly snickering at his growl. “Since _you_ don't have Uchiha blood, the loss of chakra will be noticeable. You will probably lose twice as much, twice as fast, but I am confident you’ll manage.”

He finished with a wink. “You might even be able to use the Mangekyō someday.”

Kakashi sighed and nodded, conceding. “I... I accept.”

The next thing he knew, Obito was squeezing him in a hug. “I knew you’d say yes, Bakashi!”

“Stop calling me that,” he squeaked out.

 

* * *

 

Rin gaped disbelievingly, wide eyes moving between her boys. She must have misheard. “I'm sorry. Could you repeat that last sentence?”

Obito’s smile never wavered as he repeated, “I want you to transplant my left eye into Kakashi's.”

Nope, she heard correctly. “But why?”

“It's my gift to Kakashi for his promotion.” He clapped his hands together with a pleading grin. “Please, Rin. You're the _only one_ I can count on to do this.”

She glanced to Kakashi who quickly bowed his head, shying from her scrutiny, while her sensei was impassive beside him.

Her mouth dried. “I-I'm happy to know you have confidence in me, Obito. But there are more qualified medics over in Konoha.”

He shook his head. “I have the _Sharingan_. If my clan even heard a whisper of this, they'd put a stop to it faster than we can say Mangekyō. Please do this for me, Rin.”

Rin settled a hand on her cheek, deliberating.

When she awakened from her eleven-hour rest, the last thing she expected was Obito requesting an eye transplant. She had enjoyed finding Kakashi's blanket on top of her own, but her excitement was short lived. She knew Obito more than anyone, and when Obito felt guilty, he _really_ felt guilty. She feared her best friend was remorseful for what transpired after her capture. She also knew he was stubborn – even if Kakashi said no, Obito would have coerced him to say yes.

Rin had to know before she agreed. “Obito, if I'm going to be your medic-nin for the transplant, I have to make sure you're not feeling guilty for Kakashi losing his eye.”

“I get that,” he replied and raised a determined fist. “This has nothing to do with guilt. I promise.”

Searching for dishonesty, and finding none, she yielded. “Then we’ll get started.”

Minato stood from his crouched position. “I'll check the perimeter for enemy shinobi.”

Kakashi hesitatingly asked, “Are you okay with this, Minato-sensei?”

The older Jōnin shrugged. “This is Obito's choice, not mine. I just hope you thought about the consequences, Obito. Your clan will be displeased.”

Without hearing a response, he flashed away.

Rin breathed in deep, her heart racing as she reached for her supplies. “Alright, you two, lay down across from each other. I'll begin by numbing the area...” 

In under fifteen minutes, she was finished. Rin had surprised herself in that short timeframe, and as she bandaged Obito's empty left socket, Rin's confidence as a medic-nin rose. She was far from being an independent shinobi – deficient in Taijutsu and offensive Ninjutsu, abysmal in Genjutsu – but she valiantly managed a procedure she had only read about in Tsunade's guide books. There were no complications, and chance of infection was down to ten percent.

Obito began massaging his temples to sooth his slight headache as Rin focused on Kakashi.

She ordered him to blink five times consecutively and smiled when he did so perfectly, albeit slowly. She observed the transplanted Sharingan with a critical eye before reapplying a new set of bandages, holding in a laugh as Kakashi leaned into her hands sluggishly.

Perhaps she drugged him a bit too much…

Before she could move forward with the procedure, Rin had to painstakingly disinfect Kakashi's wound, his own work sloppy from time restraint. She cringed when she learned he had gouged his eyeball out with his bare fingers – she nearly died of heart failure when he told her – and had caused a serious infection.

She had also felt a bit guilty. When they reunited in the Kamui dimension, she should have cleansed the injury at once. Immediate attention after battle was an important rule for field medics.

Rin shook off the memory and laid Kakashi back down where he drifted to sleep.

 

* * *

 

It was currently three in the afternoon and her team was finally heading back to Konoha after their near-fatal mission. Rin was eager to return home where she would be with her family again, but an array of colors stopped her. “Sensei, could we stop here for a while?”

She sped away when the Jōnin agreed to her request.

Kakashi followed her, intent on keeping their team in pairs, if not together as four. Perhaps he was taking this 'abandoning teammates are worse than scum' thing too seriously, but the Kannabi Bridge mission was still fresh in his mind. The potential disaster of that day had resulted in recurrent nightmares like those he had of his father, only now the weapon of choice were boulders rather than a tantō, and his teammates were in place of Sakumo.

Irrational fear or not, Kakashi refused to let anyone leave on their own.

Rin rushed passed trees and down a slight hill to her intended target, grinning at her discovery. In front of her was a beautiful field of flowers, shades of reds, purples, yellows, and pinks and so much more, from roses and carnations, to amaryllises and chrysanthemums. The brightest arrangements blossomed in the middle of the field where sunlight shined, and as her awed gaze strayed toward the center, she found darker pigments and flower buds that had yet to flourish, spread beneath the shade of surrounding trees.

Kakashi stepped next to her. Rin wasted no time, pulling her teammate by the hand to the center flowers. She joyfully laughed, bending her head back and closing her eyes to relish the heat on her pale skin, silently thanking the spherical star above. Standing here, alive and healthy, unwounded, she couldn't ask for more.

Except... “Ne, Kakashi?” She dropped the Jōnin's hand to face him.

Her heart raced as she took in Kakashi's face: the navy-blue mask concealing the bottom half of his face, the snowy bandages protecting his implanted Sharingan, and the single grey eye watching her inquisitively.

This boy was still Kakashi, merely… liberated, from what had haunted him for seven years.

But Rin no longer knew where she stood with her feelings for him anymore.

She liked Kakashi when they attended the Academy together. He was strangely poised at five-years-old, and adorable, which reminded her of Obito, though on opposite spectrums. Back then, her best friend had a mixed aura of bashfulness and woe, while Kakashi was more exuberant, but lax in manner. She believed the three of them could eventually be friends, but one day, Kakashi began drifting from his classmates, growing grim and detached. His skills as a shinobi improved simultaneously, like he suddenly had something to prove.

In Rin’s juvenile view, he had become someone to admire, an aspiration for all shinobi-hopefuls. Her crush started then, and when reunited as a Genin team, it evolved into something more, yet she hesitated to call the feeling love, being so young.

Her feelings for Kakashi, despite their sincerity, were foolish. He ignored her, though not unkindly, to focus his spare time on personal training instead of the team bonding exercises Minato insisted on. He always rejected her invitations to lunch or dinner with her and Obito. In fact, Kakashi had _never_ expressed interest in another person. Rin wasn’t an exception, she was the rule, she once concluded.

And now, knowing his father’s suicide was the direct cause of Kakashi’s dramatic change, her crush was even more foolish, spurred on by the ignorance of her childish self.

Standing in this colorful field, she realized she would either lay these affections to rest, or pursue the slight possibility of something more than teammates. If Kakashi did reject her, Rin wanted them to at least be friends, to have a bond on par with her and Obito’s. She needed Kakashi to understand, that no matter the hardships in their future, she would always be there for him.

Obito would agree with the sentiment, she was certain.

Gathering her courage, Rin announced her feelings, just as a heavy wind roared between them, whipping their hair to the side and lifting loose flower petals.

“Kakashi, I really like you. Do you like me too?”

Her confession shocked him. Not that Kakashi was blind to her crush, nor was she a particularly timid person, but whenever they were alone, she had a difficult time speaking with him and avoided his eyes. Today was different, however. Rin was standing tall and firm with resolve, a little pink tinging her cheeks.

Kakashi almost hated himself for this…

“I'm sorry, Rin.”

He expected tears, but instead, she tackled him in a surprise, two second hug, mindful of his discomfort with prolonged contact.

Rin stepped back and smiled. “It's fine. I had to try, right?” Sure, she was disappointed, but the remorse darkening his lone eye proved he at least cared about her on some level.

She held out a hand. “I'd still like to have you as a friend, Kakashi.”

He accepted her offer, curving his eye to show he was smiling. “I would like that, too.”

Rin spent the next ten minutes gathering flowers, focused mainly on those colored red and purple, her two favorites. Kakashi sat beside her, touching the petals of a yellow rose with the most peculiar look she had ever seen on his masked face. The expression was indescribable, and she was awfully curious.

“What are you thinking?”

Kakashi jolted, accidently yanking three petals out of place. He ruefully stared down at the ruined flower before answering her question, and though he really didn't want her knowing his embarrassing idea, he knew she was far more competent about flowers as a kunoichi.

“What would be an appropriate flower for friendship and gratitude?” he asked, a hand over his eye.

Rin giggled.

 

* * *

 

“Minato-sensei, it's been half an hour already. Shouldn't we check on them?”

Obito stopped pacing to squint down at the blond, lying spread-eagle on the grass. The Uchiha had been in a similar position, but felt restless. Not even a full two minutes after Kakashi and Rin disappeared into the forest, he was back on his feet and moving.

He had even begun experimenting with his dōjutsu, trying to understand the connection between intangibility and the Kamui dimension. Nothing happened at first – and he briefly wondered if only Kakashi’s eye had the ability – but eventually, he managed to phase his hands through a tree trunk, followed by his arms and the rest of his body, until he was on the other side of the tree.

Two more steps, and the weedy grass beneath him morphed into the surface of a fluorescent prism. He repeated the exercise to discover Rin had been right. The power of his Mangekyō _did_ rely on willpower alone. He was fully aware the theory behind it was far more complex, but he didn't care for an exact explanation.

All he needed was willpower

Kamui was _his_ to control.

Fifteen minutes had passed and his teammates were still gone. Konoha was close, and he was exhausted, traveling on three hours of unrestful sleep, and using the Sharingan had not been the brightest idea.

He yearned for a heated shower and the silky sheets of a warm, cozy bed.

Just as he was about to search for his wayward teammates, they returned, Kakashi trying to walk directly behind his shorter teammate. Rin herself was grinning too wide, and for a moment there, he considered attacking her for being an imposter. Apparently, he was not the only one capable of achieving such a cheerful look.

There was an unexpected rush of air near his blind spot, signaling his sensei's presence. He ignored the man in favor of Rin. “What took you guys so long?”

She pointed a thumb over her shoulder. “Kakashi wanted to give you something, Obito.” As she said his name, Rin sidestepped to reveal their badly hidden team member.

The last thing Obito expected was a bouquet of flowers.

As the arrangement was thrust towards his chest, his hands automatically raised. Kakashi's eye was closed tightly, the beginnings of a blush peeking above his mask, but what really caught Obito’s attention was the colorful assortment. Yellow daffodils filled the middle of the bouquet, surrounded by lavender and pink with white roses spread throughout. Holding the stems together was a makeshift ribbon, which were the same bandages covering the left side of his and Kakashi's faces.

His previous irritation had vanished in place of a welcoming warmth filling his chest, and as he grasped the vibrant bouquet, he teared up. Across from him, Kakashi was rubbing his arm, embarrassed. Maybe he could cry and not be ribbed for it.

Maybe.

“What’s the occasion?” he wondered, smiling with uncertainty.

Kakashi finally looked him in the eye as he hesitantly answered, “Gratitude, for helping me realize what is truly important... and... and friendship... if you want...”

He was momentarily speechless hearing Kakashi's hopeful tone. He considered them friends already, but he supposed Kakashi was more insecure about relationships than he previously believed.

With an appreciative grin, Obito cradled the bound flowers with one arm and used the other to hug Kakashi. “Friends, I'd like that.”

Another set of arms wrapped around him and Kakashi.

“Don't forget about me, boys,” Rin chirped.

They pulled apart, Obito grinning down at his team.

“We would never do such a thing, Rin.”

 

 


End file.
